Malaysian Borneo Travel Guide
I had wanted to visit Borneo for such a long time before I finally got there. I went the end of January so it was hot hot hot, but reasonably quiet as well. If you are wondering what to see and do in Borneo, this travel guide is for you.
Borneo is a country of such stunning natural beauty, however it has some major challenges with keeping those forests and animals intact. Relentless forest clearing for palm plantations have taken a massive toll on the wildlife and that was very much a feature of my trip. I now sponsor an Orangutan, a Sun Bear and a Sumatran Rhino (Rosa!) and make every effort I can to avoid palm oil at all costs.
Being so very close to Australia, you Aussies out there should consider Borneo as your next holiday destination. It has everything from hiking to beaches and of course that to die for Malaysian food! Check out everything you need to know, what to do and see in this Borneo Guide.
3 Must Do's For Malaysian Borneo
Mulu National Park
If you don't hike the Head-hunters Trail you have to fly into Mulu NP. There are a wide variety of accommodation options available. The park has some great hiking (make sure you are fit & do The Pinnacles), caving, walking and animal watching. The Deer Cave, The Garden of Eden & The Cave Of The Winds are just some of the things to see. I spent 5 days (two of which was the Pinnacles) after walking in and that was the perfect amount of time.
Climb Mount Kinabalu
If you get a chance and you are able, Mount Kinabalu is a great climb. It is easier than you think its going to be. It's only hard if you want to summit for the dawn because of course you are getting out of bed in the middle of the night & you haven't really slept anyway. I was 6 months out from an Achilles reconstruction & with a wedge in my shoe I was fine, so as long as you have some fitness you will be OK. Even just visit Kinabalu NP which is amazing.
Kinabatangan River
I stayed at Bilit Adventure Lodge on Kinabatangan River but there are a lot of options. I would say mine was mid range, as I saw some pretty luxurious looking ones and some that were a little less than mine. Dawn and dusk boat rides are the main stay of the river. We had some amazing experiences and even saw a male Orangutan making his bed for the night. Crocodiles, monkeys, pygmy elephants and the Orangutans are in the area.
More Things To Do In Borneo
While you do head to Borneo for nature tourism, the food is amazing, the people very friendly and there are some great national parks to pull your hiking boots on.
Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation centre – a MUST DO!
Kuching, The Cat city is a great small city with lots to do.
Labak Bay Proboscis Sanctuary for the Proboscis Monkeys
Bako NP – an hours bus ride from Kuching
Sandakan – a great coastal city on the north east of the island.
Climb the Pinnacles at Mulu National Park.
Sianagan Turtle islands between Borneo and The Philippines
The Sun Bear Sanctuary at Sepilok.
Miri is a cool little coastal town
If you have the time, make the trip into Brunei
My Fave Photo From Malaysian Borneo
Initially I spent a few days at Sepilok Jungle Resort which is within walking distance of the Orangutan Sanctuary and I visited the Rehabilitation centre for most of the day one day, and the afternoon of the second day.
This gorgeous young lady had been rescued as a tiny infant when her mother was killed during a forest clearing . She had been in the nursery for about 9 months and the staff were attempting to get her to interact with the older Orangutans in the hope that in about 2 years, she can look after herself in the wild and will not attempt to seek out human contact.
It's so hard for them when the Orangutans come in so young because they attach themselves to the staff completely. The staff then have to try to detach themselves when they get older or the animal is destined to stay in the park. They won't risk releasing an Orangutan that will still go to humans readily and you can imagine why.
She had been out in the “teenager” area for the morning but hadn't been keen to get involved with the other Orangutans so her keeper had brought her back into the nursery area. She laid down on the grass right next to me and was just looking at me with those eyes.
Of course if you know me at all, I was grinning like an idiot and crying at the same time. If you can help – this blog post will give you all the options.
Get rid of Palm Oil where you can!